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Argentina's national football team, after a very intense battle and the first overtime in this championship, defeated Mexico 2-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals, where the South Americans will face the German team.
Location: Leipzig, Zentralstadion, 43000 spectators Referee: Massimo Busacca Argentina 2-1 Mexico 6' [0 - 1] Rafael Marquez 10' [1 - 1] Hernan Crespo 98' [2 - 1] Maxi Rodriguez
Argentina: Abbondanzieri, Ayala, Heinze, Scaloni, Sorin, Cambiasso (76' Aimar), Riquelme, Maxi, Mascherano, Saviola (84' Messi), Crespo (75' Tevez).
Mexico: Sanchez, Salcido, Marquez, Guardado (66' Pineda), Osorio, Castro, Mendez, Pardo (38' Torrado), Borgetti, Morales (74' Zinha), Fonseca.
The teams, who knew each other quite well, started the match actively, and the first goals were scored within the first ten minutes.
The Mexicans took the lead first. In the 6th minute of the match, Mexico was awarded a free kick. The delivery was made by defender Mario Mendez. Pavel Pardo passed the ball into the penalty area, where Rafael Marquez scored a goal, taking advantage of Gabriel Heinze's incorrect positioning.
However, the Mexicans' joy was short-lived. In the 10th minute of the game, Juan Roman Riquelme took a corner. Mexican forward Jared Borgetti tried to head the ball out of the goal, but it bounced off his head and went straight into the net. Immediately after this shot, Hernan Crespo, who was near Borgetti's back, celebrated, although it seemed like he didn't touch the ball.
After this goal, the two-time World Cup champions, Argentine footballers, started playing more aggressively and dangerously. Crespo posed a threat, but his shot was blocked by the first goal scorer, Marquez, and Esteban Cambiasso's shot went over the goalkeeper.
In the Mexican team, Borgetti stood out with his activity, trying to score against the opponents' goal. Borgetti struck dangerously towards the end of the first half, and later, when the Argentine goalkeeper made a mistake passing the ball, apparently not expecting such a "gift," hesitated to finish the attack.
Shortly before the end of the first half, a blunder near their penalty area by the Argentine, "Manchester United" defender Gabriel Heinze, who passed the ball to attacker Fosceca and then clumsily stopped him, resulting in a penalty. G. Heinze received only a yellow card in this situation, although he should have received a red one for a clear last man foul and should have been sent off the field.
After the unsuccessful penalty kick, both teams managed to exchange dangerous moments. Abbondanzieri saved the Argentines after a shot by Borgetti, while Oswaldo Sanchez saved the Mexicans after a shot by Javier Saviola.
In the second half, the teams played less actively and slowed down the pace. The Argentine team gained a lot of life in the second half with the appearances of Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez, who tore through the Mexican defense.
However, at the end of the second half, Tevez managed to send the ball into the net, but the linesman flagged for offside.
In extra time, the Argentines started playing more actively and managed to score a beautiful goal after eight minutes. Sorin passed the ball to Maxi Rodriguez, who elegantly stopped the ball with his chest, turned around, and successfully shot the ball into the top corner of the net with a single touch from outside the penalty area.
During the remaining twenty minutes, the Mexicans tried to equalize the score, but the Argentine defenders repelled their attacks.
Match statistics
Argentina - Mexico
Ball possession 51% - 49% Goals 2 - 1 Attempts on goal 11 - 12 Shots on goal 5 - 3 Corners 6 - 5 Fouls 23 - 28 Offsides 8 - 2 Yellow cards 2 - 4 Red cards 0 - 0
